Method and apparatus for producing a continuous tobacco rod



y 19, 1966 K. KORBER ET AL 3,

METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR PRODUCING A CONTINUOUS TOBACCO ROD 7 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Dec. 28, 1959 July 19, 1966 K. KORBER ET AL METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR PRODUCING A CONTINUOUS TOBACCO ROD Filed Dec. 28, 1959 7 Sheets-Sheet 2 f3. EN g g: Eg

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K. KORBER ET AL 3,261,364

7 Sheets-Sheet 5 EX T @ x l i K11 \vWMV M NMW HAM kw r mk July 19, 1966 METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR PRODUCING A CONTINUOUS TOBACCO ROD Filed Dec. 28, 1959 July 19, 1966 K. KORBER ET AL METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR PRODUCING A CONTINUOUS TOBACCO ROD 7 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed Dec. 28, 1959 July 19, 1966 K. KORBER ET AL 3,261,364

METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR PRODUCING A CONTINUOUS TOBACCO ROD Filed Dec. 28, 1959 7 Sheets-Sheet 5 July 19, 1966 K. KCRBER ET AL METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR PRODUCING A CONTINUOUS TOBACCO ROD Filed Dec. 28, 1959 7 Sheets-Sheet 6 July 19, 1966 K. KORBER ET AL 3,261,364

METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR PRODUCING A CONTINUOUS TOBACCO ROD Filed D90. 28, 1959 7 Sheets-Sheet 7 T0 SUCTION SOURCE United States Patent 26 Claims. (Cl. 131--84) The invention relates to cigarette making machines in general and more particularly to a method of and to an apparatus for transforming loose tobacco into a continuous tobacco rod.

It is an object of the invention to provide a method of and an apparatus for producing a continuous tobacco rod having a high degree of uniformity in cross-section and in weight. Such tobacco rods are utilized in the production of continuous cigarette rods by wrapping tobacco streams into strips of cigarette paper, the cigarette rods so produced being then severed to form cigarettes of requisite length.

The method of the present invention comprises forming a continuous travelling stream of tobacco which may have and usually has an uneven cross-section, supplying additional quantities of tobacco to the stream, then removing excess tobacco from the stream at a point downstream of the point of admission of such additional quantities to form a tobacco rod of uniform cross-section which is ready to be wrapped into cigarette paper.

Because a certain quantity of tobacco is added to the stream before excess tobacco is removed, it is not always necessary to use for the initial production of an uneven stream more tobacco than is required to form the tobacco rod, and hence the tobacco is supplied from a distributor at the rate required to form the desired rod. Later a certain amount of tobacco is removed from one surface of the stream at a point where the stream contains excess tobacco; the quantity removed from the stream is preferably equal to the quantity supplied at one or more points of the stream.

Another important object of the invention is to employ a circurn-fe-rentially grooved rotary wheel which rotates in a vertical plane to lift the stream of tobacco to a higher level by causing the confined tobacco stream to be conveyed approximately one half of the periphery of said Wheel, the outer surface of the stream being trimmed or levelled while conveyed by said rotary wheel. The tobacco removed from said surface is fed to the upper surface of the stream moving towards the lowest point of the wheel so that the particles of returned tobacco will lie on the bottom of the tobacco stream in the groove of the rotary wheel.

According to still another object of the invention the apparatus for carrying out the aforesaid method may take various forms but in general a travelling conveyor, such as an endless conveyor belt, is provided upon which the tobacco is showered to form what in actual practice amounts to an uneven tobacco stream and means are provided for adding additional tobacco to the stream and for level-ling the outer surface of said stream while confined within a circumferential groove of a rotary member, the tobacco removed by the levelling ope-ration being returned to the top surface of the stream on the conveyor and thus will be disposed opposite to the surface subjected to the trimming operation.

When a rotary wheel is employed, which rotates in a vertical plane, the return path for the tobacco removed firom the surface of the stream in the groove of the wheel is preferably provided by a second rotary wheel coaxially arranged adjacent said first wheel and 3,261,364 Patented July 19, 1966 ice operating at a slower circumferential speed, suitable means being provided for transferring the tobacco removed by the levelling operation into a peripheral groove of the second wheel after which the tobacco is distributed over the surface of the tobacco stream moving toward the lowest point of the first wheel.

In the production of a cigarette rod the level-led tobacco stream meets a strip of cigarette paper and the tobacco stream and the paper are then moved through a conventional rod-forming device which wraps the tobacco rod within the cigarette paper to form a continuous cigarette rod which is thereafter cut into cigarette lengths.

He-re-tofore reference has been made to the production of a tobacco rod of uniform size, which will generally involve uniformity both in cross-section and Weight, but it should be understood that the present invention does not exclude the inclusion in the tobacco rod of additional quantities of tobacco at spaced points so that denser portions are formed at predetermined intervals corresponding to the length of the individual cigarettes to be cut from the cigarette rod, cutting being performed at said dense portions so that the ends of the cigarettes are termed by said denser portions.

A tobacco rod of these properties and produced according to the present invention has a high degree of uniformity between any spaced portions containing addition-a1 tobacco and cigarettes cut from a cigarette rod produced from such a rod have a high degree of uniformity in weight.

The features of the present invention are shown by way of example on the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 illustrates diagrammatically an apparatus suitable for practicing the method of producing a tobacco stream of uniform cross section;

FIG. 2 illustrates diagrammatically the first portion of an apparatus for producing a tobacco stream in which the latter has an uneven surface with high and low portions which, however compensate each other;

FIG. 3 illustrates diagrammatically an apparatus for producing a tobacco stream and in which a certain amount of protruding tobacco is removed from certain portions of the tobacco stream and added to low portions of the same;

FIG. 4 illustrates diagrammatically an apparatus suitable for practicing the method of the invention in which a continuous amount of uneven tobacco is removed from the top surface of the tobacco stream and is later added to the stream at a point in advance of the removal point;

FIG. 5 is a diagrammatic side elevation view of an apparatus suitable for practicing the method of the invention;

FIG. 6 is a diagrammatic side elevation view of another apparatus for producing a tobacco rod in accordance with the invention;

FIG. 7 is a diagrammatic side elevation view of still another apparatus for producing a tobacco rod in accordance with the invention;

FIG. 8 is a diagrammatic side elevation view of a further embodiment of an apparatus in accordance with the invention;

FIG. 9 is a diagrammatic end view of the apparatus shown in FIG. 8;

FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating another manner of carrying the invention into eifect;

FIG. 11 is a diagrammatic view of one form of an apparatus suitable for carrying out the method illustrated in FIG. 10 and based upon the use of a rotary wheel provided with parallel circumferential grooves;

FIG. 12 is a diagrammatic top elevation view of a rotary brush and indicates its operation on the tobacco stream in the twin-grooved tobacco conveying wheel shown in FIG. 11;

FIG. 13 is a partial sectional view of the twin-grooved tobacco conveying wheel of the apparatus shown in FIG. 11;

FIG. 14 illustrates a side view of another tobacco removing device as a substitute for the rotary brush;

FIG. 15 illustrates a top elevation view of the device shown in FIG. 14;

FIG. 16 is an elevation view of a tobacco deflector employed in the apparatus shown in FIG. 11;

FIG. 17 shows a partial top elevational view of another embodiment using two side by side circumferentially grooved tobacco conveying wheels operating at different speeds;

FIG. 18 shows a modified construction of the arrangement shown in FIG. 17;

FIG. 19 is a side elevational view of one form of an apparatus embodying the features shown in FIGS. 1'7 and 18;

FIG. 19a is a side elevation view of another device for removing the tobacco rod from the groove of the rotary wheel; and

FIG. 20 is a partial sectional view showing the drive for two adjacently disposed rotary wheels.

The basic features of the present invention will first be explained with reference to FIG. 1, in which a hori zontal endless conveyor belt 1 receives a shower of tobacco from a conventional distributor 15 to form on the travelling belt a continuous stream of tobacco 2 which in a known manner is confined between lateral guide walls 1a. The stream 2 formed by the distributor 15 on the belt 1 will have slight surface irregularities represented by high portions 3 and low portions 4. It is assumed that the distributor 15 supplies in each unit of time a quantity of tobacco a.

In accordance with the present invention an additional quantity of tobacco designated as d is supplied to the top surface of the stream 2 and the stream so formed is then subjected to the action of a trimming or equalizing device 7 shown as a cutter blade, which removes a certain amount of tobacco c from the top surface of the tobacco stream so that beyond that point a stream of tobacco 2a is formed which has a substantially uniform cross-section.

The invention does not exclude the supply of additional quantities of tobacco e and e, these additional quantities e and e being supplied as diagrammatically indicated at uniformly spaced time intervals so that at corresponding uniformly spaced points along the horizontally moving tobacco stream there are present additional quantities of tobacco as shown at the point 2e such that, when the tobacco stream has been formed into a cigarette rod and enclosed in the usual cigarette paper wrapper, there are portions of greater density. At these points the cigarette rod is subsequently severed to form individual cigarettes.

It should be noted that an important feature of the present invention is the addition of the quantity of tobacco d, and the subsequent removal from one surface of the tobacco stream of a quantity 0 so that the outgoing stream is of uniform cross-section throughout apart from the possible provision of the additional quantities 2e at uniformly spaced positions, and it should be appreciated that cigarettes cut from the cigarette rod formed from the stream are of closely uniform weight.

In its broadest aspect the present invention includes arrangements where the additional quantity of tobacco d (and e if used) may be obtained from any desired source and any suitable means may be provided for disposing of the quantity 0 removed from the stream. Preferably, however, the quantity 0 removed from the uneven stream 2 provides the tobacco required to form the additional quantity d, or it may be utilized to provide both the quantity d and the quantity e. In those arrangements where d=c, it should be noted that the distributor 15 must be adjusted to supply a quantity of tobacco a which is just that quantity required to form the outgoing tobacco stream which has a uniform height h.

When the additional quantities e are added to the stream, these additional quantities may also be obtained from the quantity 0 and again the distributor 15 is adjusted to supply the quantity a which is just that required to form the outgoing stream of the uniform height It.

When the tobacco removed from the stream by the trimming means 7, i.e. the quantity c, provides the amount of tobacco added to the stream on the upstream side of the means 7, i.e. the quantity d, the result is virtually the transfer of the high portions 3 shown in FIG. 2 of the drawings to the low portions 4 during the horizontal travel of the stream 2 in the direction of the arrow A. This arrangement further permits a small reserve to be collected as indicated at 5 in FIG. 3, this reserve being used as required to fill the following low portions 4 in the stream and also permits the further development represented in FIG. 4 to be obtained, where a continuous circulating stream of tobacco 6 is removed in the direction of the arrow B, from the surface of the stream 2 by the action of the trimming means 7, i.e. providing the quantity 0, which thereafter is spread upon the surface of the incoming stream as the quantity d.

Referring to FIG. 5 of the drawings which illustrates the basic principles of the present application, it will be noted that a stream of tobacco 2 is conveyed by a horizontal conveyor 1 moving on rollers 17 and 18 in the direction of the arrow C and is confined by conventional lateral guide means so that the stream has a rectangular cross section. A distributor 15 has showered the tobacco 2 upon the belt 1 and has been adjusted to give precisely the average amount of tobacco required to form the tobacco rod, but due to inevitable irregularities in the operation of the distributor 15 the tobacco stream comprises high portions 3a and low portions 411.

In using the device shown in FIG. 5, tobacco is showered from the distributor 15 upon the conveyor belt 1 to form a stream 2, and the surface of the latter is superficially trimmed by a rotary cutting or trimming disc 7, preferably at a point where the tobacco stream is guided within a channel-like guide member. The tobacco removed by the action of the trimming device 7 is returned through a pneumatic suction conveyor 27 or the like and is delivered to the surface of the conveyor belt 1 at a point upstream of the distributor 15 in the form of a layer 9.

FIG. 6 illustrates in diagrammatic form one construction of apparatus utilizing a rotary wheel 19 with a peripheral groove. The tobacco is again showered by a distributor 15 upon the endless belt 1a guided over support rollers 17, 18 of which the roller 18 is positioned adjacent a wheel 19 having a grooved periphery so that the belt 1a meets the lower peripheral part of the wheel 19. The tobacco stream 2d formed on the belt 1a is transferred into the groove of the wheel 19 and moves upwardly for substantially one half of its perimeter, subsequently leaving the groove at a higher level. The stream of tobacco formed on the belt 1a and transferred to the groove of the wheel 19 may exhibit certain irregularities and high portions are trimmed off by means of a cutting or trimming device which may be a rotating cutting disc 7d. The tobacco rod 21 leaving the wheel 19 is of uniform cross-section and weight.

It is desirable that the quantity d delivered to the tobacco stream upstream of the trimming means 7d shall be supplied to the opposite surface of the stream to that at which trimming is performed, and the step of returning trimmed-off tobacco into the elongated path of the tobacco stream may be carried out in a manner as illustrated in previously discussed FIG. 5 of the drawings where the quantity of tobacco received from the stream 2 by the action of the trimming means 7 is fed by means of a pneumatic conveyor 27 on to the surface of the belt 1 upstream of the distributor 15. Alternatively and as shown in FIG. 6, the tobacco stream 2d carried by the of tobacco d is fed to the stream adjacent the wheel 19.

After the tobacco stream 211 has been transferred into the groove of the wheel, any irregularities appearing in the outermost surface are eliminated by the trimming means 7d to provide the quantity of tobacco c which preferably supplies the additional quantity d through the action of a suitable transfer means. It will be noted that the tobacco stream entering the groove of the wheel may have minor surface irregularities and that after transfer to the wheel 19 such irregularities may appear in the now eX- posed outer surface of the stream, these irregularities being eliminated by the action of the trimming means 711.

It will be noted that the distributor may be regarded as supplying a quantity of tobacco a to form the desired tobacco rod, that a part of this tobacco rod is removed, and that the removed tobacco is returned to the stream in some cases so as partially to fill up the valleys. The cutter blade 7d serves to remove a portion of tobacco c from the surface of the stream so that the outgoing stream passing the cutter 711 is of substantially uniform crosssection.

Various other constructional forms of apparatus embodying the features of this invention will be explained with reference to the further constructions shown in the accompanying drawings in which in every case a distributor 15 is adjusted to supply precisely the quantity of tobacco required to form the rod used for making the cigarettes.

FIG. 7 is an arrangement which is similar to FIG. 6. In this case, an under-feed machine is shown where the tobacco is showered from a distributor 15 upon an endless belt 1 guided over support rollers 17 18 of which the roller 18 is positioned adjacent a rotary wheel 19f having a grooved periphery so that the belt It meets the lower peripheral part of the wheel 19 A stream of tobacco 2f formed on the belt 1 by the action of the distributor 15 is transferred into the groove of the wheel 19 and moves through approximately one-half of the perimeter of the wheel 19 subsequently leaving the groove at a higher level. The stream of tobacco formed on the belt 11 and transferred to the groove of the wheel 19f may exhibit certain irregularities and the high portions are trimmed off by means of a cutting or trimming device 7 which consists of a rotating cutter disc. The tobacco rod 21 leaving the upper portion of the wheel 19 is of uniform cross-section and weight. This rod leaves the wheel 19f over a bridge 22 and then meets a cigarette paper strip 23 which is supported by a forming belt 24 which causes the paper strip 23 and the tobacco rod 21f thereon to move through a conventional cigarette rod-forming device 25, which results in the enclosure of the tobacco rod 21 in the paper strip 23 to form a continuous cigarette rod 26 which thereafter is cut into cigarette lengths. The tobacco removed by the trimming device 7] is collected by a pneumatic conveyor device 27 having a collecting funnel 28 to receive the tobacco which is then delivered through a delivery member 29f into the downwardly moving portion of the groove of the wheel 19 namely at a point in advance of the point where the stream 2 enters the groove.

FIGS. 8 and 9 illustrate an arrangement generally similar to that shown in FIG. 7 but in place of using the pneumatic conveyor means 27 for receiving the tobacco removed by the action of the cutting or trimming device 7 1 an endless conveyor device 29 is used. This conveyor device may comprise an endless carding belt and it may be positioned somewhat obliquely as indicated in FIG. 9, the tobacco being removed from the carding belt by means of a spiked wheel 30 or the like and distributed upon the surface of the tobacco stream 2g carried by the endless conveyor belt 1g. In this case the tobacco is received from the trimming device 7g by means of an obliquely positioned guide chute 31 which delivers the removed tobacco on to the carding belt.

In FIGS. 7 and 8 a rotary wheel 19 employed to raise the tobacco stream to a higher level and the tobacco stream is subjected to a trimming operation while moving upwardly and along the periphery of the wheel. It is desirable to provide suction means within the confines of the rotary wheel for holding the tobacco stream in the groove. For this purpose the wheel is rotatable with respect to a stationary internal suction chamber defined by radial walls 32 and 33 so that a portion of the periphery between the walls 32 and 33 where the tobacco stream is in contact with the wheel is retained by suction. Removal of the tobacco rod from the periphery of the wheel is assisted by means of compressed air delivered through the uppermost portion of the periphery of the wheel between the radial walls 34 and 34a of a compressed air duct which constitutes a stripping means for the tobacco rod.

If desired the suction means can be rendered inoperative along that section of the groove which is adjacent the trimming device 7. This can be achieved by prov-iding the suction chamber with additional radial walls 35 and 35a between the radial walls 32 and 33. Outward movement of the tobacco stream between the walls 35 and 35a is prevented if the trimming device 7g is constructed as indicated in FIG. 9 or 17. This trimming device comprises a pair of interengaging star wheels 36 and a rotary cutter disc 37 which overlies the star wheels.

In another mode of carrying out the invention which is illustrated diagrammatically in FIG. 10 and in -a practical form in FIG. 11, the rotary wheel 19i is provided with two parallel disposed circumferential grooves 191, 192 (see FIG. 12), the former is used for receiving the tobacco stream 21' in the same way as shown in FIGS. 7 and 8 while the second groove 192 provides the return path for the tobacco removed from the surface of the tobacco stream travelling in the first groove by the action of a trimming or levelling device which in this case is shown as consisting of an obliquely positioned brush 38. It will be noted with reference to FIG. 10 that the incoming stream 2i of tobacco containing the quantity of tobacco required to form the desired rod section is fed to the feed wheel 191' and the surface portions of said stream comprising the irregularities thereof are formed into a branch stream 3 9 which travels along the part of the periphery between the outgoing rod 211 and the incoming tobacco stream 2i. This branch stream of tobacco 39 is spread onto and mingles with the upper surface of the tobacco stream 21' moving towards the wheel 19i and comes to lie between the stream and the wheel, that is on the opposite surface of the stream to that which has the irregularities, which latter are subjected to the levelling or trimming action at the point 40.

Referring now to the construction of the machine shown in FIGS. 11 to 13, it will be noted that a shower of tobacco is delivered by the distributor upon the surface of an endless travelling belt 1i which feeds the stream of tobacco 211 toward the first groove 191 of the wheel 191', the conveyor belt 1i being guided in an endless path over suitable supporting rollers 171', 13i and 20i positioned so as to cause the belt 1i to engage a small peripheral portion of the wheel 19i and to ensure the transfer of the stream 2i into the groove of the wheel 191' where it is retained by suction in a manner already explained with reference to FIGS. 7 and 8. A suction chamber defined by the space between the radial walls 331' and 32 in the zone of the wheel receiving the tobacco stream 2i serves to hold said tobacco stream in the first groove 191 of the rotary Wheel 191 (see also FIG. 12). Conveniently and as shown, the suction action terminates shortly before the rotary cylindrical brush 38, serving as the levelling or trimming device, is operative so that the tobacco is permitted to expand to its uncompressed conditioned before it is subjected to the levelling operation by the brush 38. Alternatively the chamber defined by the radial walls 331 and 42 may extend up to the point where the tobacco rod leaves the top part of the wheel 191'. Likewise a compressed air delivery chamber similar to 34 in FIG. 7 may be utilized to assist in the discharge of tobacco stream from the wheel.

If desired and as shown in FIG. 11, a perforated endless belt 44- may be positioned above the take-off point for the tobacco rod 211' and a suction box 45 positioned within the space encircled by the belt 4-4 above the lower stretch 4411 may be used to exert an upwardly directed holding action upon the tobacco rod 21i to assist its removal from the peripheral groove 191 in the wheel 19.

As best shown in FIG. 12 the second groove 192 in the rotary wheel 191 receives the tobacco swept from the tobacco stream carried in the first groove 191 and carries the trimmed portion of tobacco into the path indicated by 39 in FIG. 10. The bristles of the brush 3S induce a current of air, and said brush is so positioned that the induced current causes the removed tobacco to move in the direction towards the second groove 192. Suction is operative in this groove over that portion of the circumference thereof arranged between the brush 38 and the radial wall 43 in FIG. 11 so that the tobacco received in the groove 192 by the action of the rotary brush 38 is retained in said groove and is subsequently collected by a suitably positioned deflector member 46 and transferred into the first groove 191 as shown in FIG. 16, the transferred tobacco being then held by suction in the first groove 191 at a point shortly before the point where the tobacco stream 21' is pressed into the groove 191 by the action of the endless conveyor belt 11.

The tobacco rod 211' removed from the groove 191 by the action of suction on the lower horizontal stretch 44a of the perforated belt 44 and the suction box 45 is placed upon a paper strip 23 suitably guided into the cigarette rod making machine and also supported by the usual tobacco rod forming endless belt 24 which moves the paper strip 23 and the tobacco rod 211' through a cigarette rod forming device 25, the finished cigarette rod being shown at 26.

FIG. 13 shows in section a portion of the rotary wheel 191. It will be noted that the first groove 191 includes a bottom surface formed by a perforated annular metallic wall 48. The section shown in FIG. 13 corresponds to the position where the rotary brush 38 is located, and it will be observed that any high portions of the tobacco stream located in the groove 191 are swept in the direction indicated by the arcuate arrow into the second groove 192. The latter is defined on one side by an annulus 51 of perforated metal enclosed by a casing member 52 providing a suction box which maintains a suction over that part of the side wall of the groove 192 where the tobacco is to be conveyed from the receiving point formed by the rotary brush 38 to the delivery point formed by the tobacco deflector 46.

FIGS. 14 and 15 show an alternative to the rotary brush 38 formed in this case by an endless belt 53 positioned obliquely relatively to the circumference of the wheel 19i and serving to transfer tobacco from the first groove 191 into the second groove 192. by the action of the induced current of air. It will be understood that in all embodiments of our invention wherein a rotary brush 38 or an endless belt 53 is employed, such combined trimming and transferring devices not only induce a current of air but they also serve as a means for mechanically moving tobacco particles into the path in which the tobacco particles return toward the tobacco stream. The combined trimming and transferring device 38 or 53 is particularly useful in such tobacco processing machines in which the trimming or levelling operation is carried out while the tobacco stream is held in the groove 191 by suction. If the tobacco stream is not held by suction during the trimming or levelling operation it is often advisable to employ trimming means of the type shown in FIGS. 6 and 9.

FIGS. 17 to 20 show further modifications applicable to a construction of the character shown in FIGS. 10 to 16 employing a rotary wheel 19k having adjacently positioned grooves 191k, 192k. In the FIGS. 17 to 20 the tobacco transferred into the second groove 192k as a result of the action of the trimming or levelling device is retained in said groove by mechanical means, in particular by the arrangement of a spiked or carded surface in said groove. Furthermore, the second groove 192k forms an independent wheel unit which is caused to rotate at a substantially slower speed than the other part of the wheel provided with the first groove 191k.

As shown in FIG. 19, a construction is employed which is similar to that shown in FIG. 11 in that the tobacco is showered by a distributor 15 upon the surface of an endless belt 11' supported by guide rollers 171', 181' and 201 positioned so that the tobacco stream 21 formed on the surface of the belt 11 is pressed into the first groove 191k where it is held by suction by the action of a suction chamber formed between the radial walls, 33k and 35k, 32k. In this embodiment the trimming step is performed by means of a rotary cutter disc 37 (FIG. 17) cooperating with a pair of interengaging star wheels 36 as already explained in connection with FIG. 9, the suction being rendered ineffective along the trimming station in the zone between the radial walls 35k and 35k, which zone divides the suction chamber into two sections lying respectively between the radial walls 33k and 35k and between the radial walls 32k and 35k. Removal of the tobacco rod 21 is facilitated by the provision of a compressed air channel formed between the radial walls 34k and 34k. The tobacco rod, as shown in FIG. 1901, may alternatively be removed from the groove 191k by a perforated belt 44 and a suction box 45 as also explained in connection with FIG. 11, or as shown in FIG. 19: a bridge or doctor member 55 may be provided. As in the previous embodiments the outgoing tobacco rod 21 meets a paper strip 23 and the latter and the rod are supported by an endless forming belt 24 which conveys these components through a rod-forming device 25 to form the finished cigarette rod 26.

As already stated the groove 192k is arranged in a separate wheel 193 which is caused to rotate at a slower speed than the wheel 19k and is provided with points or barbs in the manner of a carding belt on its base surface to receive tobacco removed by the action of the elements 36, 37 as a result of the trimming or levelling of the tobacco stream in the channel 191k. This removed tobacco is deflected into the groove 192k by means of a suitable guide member 58 and is carried around said groove 192k up to the point where it is stripped from the groove by the action of a picker roll or rotary brush 59. A suitably positioned deflector 61 shown in FIG. 18 serves to divert the tobacco removed from the groove 192k by the member 59 onto the surface of the tobacco stream 21' before it moves into the groove 191k.

FIG. 20 shows the construction and drive of the wheel 19k and its associated parts. The main part of the wheel 19k including the peripheral groove 191k therein, the bottom of which is formed by a perforated screen 48k and through which suction is transmitted, is provided with radial passages 62 leading to a stationary suction box 63 by means of a connecting passage 62k so that suction will be exerted in desired peripheral zones between the radial Walls 32k and 35k and also between the radial walls 35k and 33k as shown in FIG. 19. The outer part 193 of the wheel which is provided with the groove 192k comprises a barbed bottom wall and is supported on a shaft 70 rotatable within a sleeve 63k carrying the wheel 19k proper. The sleeve 63k carries fixedly thereon a gear wheel 64 meshing with .a gear 65 integrally formed with a gear wheel 67 meshing with a driver gear 68 fixedly mounted on the shaft 70, the twin gear wheel 65, 67 being mounted on a stub shaft 69 fixed to the frame of the machine. The gear 68 is driven by a suitable motor or another source of power and drives the shaft 70 which in turn drives the Wheel 193 at a first speed. The gears 67, 65 which are driven by the gear 68 transmit motion to the gear 64 which drives the wheel 19k at a second speed higher than the speed of the wheel 193.

The apparatus shown in FIGS. 19 and 20 operates as follows: The tobacco delivered by the distributor at an average rate corresponding to the desired cigarette rod 26 forms a tobacco stream on the endless belt 1i. This tobacco stream is pressed into the first groove 191k of the wheel structure 19k, 193 and is retained therein by suction. As the tobacco stream carried in the groove 191k passes the trimming or levelling device 36, 37, the suction holding action is preferably discontinued and the tobacco trimmed off the surface of the tobacco stream in the groove 191k is transferred into the second groove 192k, the remainder of the tobacco stream which is of uniform cross-section and of constant density then forming the tobacco rod 21 which is wrapped into the paper strip 23 to form the cigarette rod 26.

The tobacco removed by the trimming device 36, 37 is transferred into the second and slower moving groove 192k of the wheel 193 and is removed therefrom by the action of the picker member 59 (FIG. 19), and is then spread over the surface of the tobacco stream 2i just before it is pressed into the groove 191k.

In all the embodiments described means may be provided for measuring the amount of removed tobacco, such as the tobacco in the groove 192k of the rotary wheel in FIGS. 17 to 20, or the tobacco in the stream 2 on the conveyor belt 1 in FIG. 7, or the tobacco in the stream on the endless belt 29 in FIG. 8.

Furthermore, additional means may be provided for measuring the finished tobacco rod or cigarette rod, and for controlling the action of the trimming or levelling devices 7, 7d; 7 7g; 36, 37; 38 and 53, for instance by advancing or retracting th'ese devices more or less from the surface of the tobacco stream or rod. The measuring means may be the same as or similar to that disclosed in the copending application of Willy Richter, Serial No. 110,561, filed May 16, 1961.

What we claim is:

1. A method of producing a continuous tobacco rod, including the steps of forming a continuously moving tobacco stream of uneven cross section, supplying additional tobacco to one surface of said stream at a point downstream of the point at which said tobacco stream is formed, and removing at a point downstream of the point at which additional tobacco was added such quantities of tobacco that the resultant tobacco rod is of uniform cross section.

2. A method according to claim 1, wherein the quantities of tobacco which are removed from the stream equal the quantities of tobacco which are added to the stream.

3. A method of producing a continuous tobacco rod, including the steps of showering upon a continuously moving conveyor belt a stream of tobacco in such quantities as required to form said rod, causing said belt to move said tobacco stream into an endless groove, removing tobacco from the surface of said stream while in said groove to form an outgoing rod of uniform cross section, and adding the tobacco removed from the surface of said stream to the tobacco stream on said conveyor belt before said stream enters said groove.

showered upon the surface of the tobacco stream at a point in advance of the point where tobacco is removed therefrom.

5. An apparatus for producing a continuous tobacco rod, including a tobacco distributor, a continuously moving conveyor arranged to receive tobacco from said distributor and to form a tobacco stream, means for supplying additional tobacco to the stream of tobacco formed on said conveyor, and a trimmer for removing tobacco from said stream at a point downstream of the point where additional tobacco is supplied to the stream so as to transform the tobacco stream into a tobacco rod of constant cross section.

6. An apparatus for producing a continuous cigarette rod, comprising a tobacco distributor, a travelling conveyor arranged to receive tobacco from said distributor and to form a moving stream of tobacco, means for feeding additional tobacco to one surface of said stream, a trimmer device for removing tobacco from one surface of said stream at a point downstream of the point at which additional tobacco is fed to the stream so that the resultant tobacco rod is of constant cross section, and wrapping means for transforming the tobacco rod into a cigarette rod.

7. An apparatus for producing a continuous tobacco rod, comprising a tobacco distributor adapted and arranged to shower tobacco required to form the intended tobacco rod, first conveyor means including an endless conveyor belt for receiving tobacco showered by said distributor and for forming thereon a continuous tobacco stream, trimming-means operative upon a surface of said tobacco stream to remove tobacco from the surface thereof and to thus transform the stream into a tobacco rod, and second conveyor means arranged to receive tobacco I removed by said trimming means and to deliver such tobacco to the tobacco stream on said conveyor belt at a point between said distributor and said trimming means.

8. An apparatus for producing a continuous tobacco rod, comprising a tobacco distributor arranged to discharge a continuous supply of tobacco particles; first conveyor means defining an elongated path and arranged to receive tobacco particles from said distributor so that such particles form a continuous tobacco stream of uneven cross section which moves endwise in said path; second conveyor means for supplying additional tobacco into said elongated path in addition to tobacco particles discharged by said distributor; and trimming means adjacent to said path downstream of the point where said second conveyor means supplies additional tobacco into said path for removing excess tobacco from said stream and for transforming the stream into a tobacco rod.

9. An apparatus according to claim 8, in which said trimming means operates upon the tobacco stream at a point adjacent to said first conveyor means, wherein said first conveyor means comprises a portion located upstream of said distributor, and wherein said second conveyor means is arranged to return tobacco removed by said trimming means onto said portion of the first conveyor means.

10. An apparatus according to claim 8, wherein said second conveyor means is a pneumatic conveyor arranged to receive tobacco removed from the tobacco stream by said trimming means.

11. An apparatus according to claim 8, wherein the second conveyor means is a mechanical conveyor arranged to receive tobacco removed from the tobacco stream by said trimming means.

12. An apparatus for producing a continuous tobacco rod, comprising a tobacco distributor arranged to deliver at least such quantities of tobacco as are required to form the intended tobacco rod; first conveyor means arranged to receive tobacco from said distributor and to form a continuous tobacco stream; a rotary Wheel having a circumferential groove into which the tobacco stream is transferred by said first conveyor means; trimming means adjacent to said circumferential groove and operal l tive upon the tobacco stream to remove tobacco therefrom; and second conveyor means arranged to r turn tobacco removed by said trimming means to said first conveyor means.

13. An apparatus for producing a continuous tobacco rod, comprising a tobacco distributor arranged to deliver continuously at least such quantities of tobacco as are required to form the intended tobacco rod; a belt conveyor having an elongated run arranged to receive tobacco from said distributor and to form a continuous tobacco stream; a rotary suction wheel having a circumferential groove into which the tobacco stream is transferred by said run and in which the tobacco stream is held by suction operative in said groove; trimming means adjacent to said groove and operative upon the tobacco stream to remove tobacco therefrom and to thereby transform the stream into a tobacco rod; and conveyor means arranged to receive tobacco removed by said trimming means and to return such tobacco onto the run of said conveyor belt.

14. An apparatus for producing a continuous tobacco rod, comprising a tobacco distributor arranged to deliver continuously at least such quantities of tobacco as are required to form the intended tobacco rod; first conveyor means including an endless belt conveyor having an elongated run arranged to receive tobacco from said distributor and to form a continuous tobacco stream; a rotary suction wheel arranged to rotate about a horizontal axis and having a circumferential groove into which the tobacco stream is transferred by said run in a zone of said groove which is close to the lowermost point of the wheel so that suction operative in said groove compels the tobacco stream to move from a lower level to a higher level; trimming means adjacent to said groove and operative upon the tobacco stream to remove tobacco therefrom and to transform the tobacco stream into a tobacco rod; and second conveyor means arranged to receive tobacco removed by said trimming means and to return such tobacco onto the run of said belt conveyor.

15. An apparatus as set forth in claim 14, wherein said second conveyor means is arranged to return tobacco removed by said trimming means onto the run of said belt conveyor intermediate said distributor and said suction wheel.

16. An apparatus for producing a continuous tobacco rod, comprising a tobacco distributor arranged to shower such quantities of tobacco as are required in the intended tobacco rod; first conveyor means comprising an endless belt arranged to receive tobacco showered by said distributor and to form thereon a continuous tobacco stream; a rotary wheel mounted for rotation about a horizontal axis and having a circumferential groove including a lower portion into which the tobacco stream is transferred by said belt and an upper portion, said wheel rotating in a direction to move the tobacco stream from the lower portion to the upper portion of said groove; trimming means adjacent to said groove intermediate said upper and lower portions thereof and operative upon a surface of the tobacco stream to remove a portion of tobacco therefrom; and second conveyor means arranged to receive tobacco removed by said trimming means and to deliver such tobacco to the tobacco stream on said belt at a point between said distributor and said trimming means and adjacent to said wheel, said second conveyor means comprising means defining a path which is substantially concentric with said groove and in which tobacco removed by said trimming means moves downwardly and along a portion of the wheel located opposite that section of the groove which extends between said upper and lower portions thereof.

17. An apparatus for producing a continuous tobacco rod, comprising a tobacco distributor arranged to shower such quantities of tobacco as are required in the intended tobacco rod; first conveyor means comprising an endless belt arranged to receive tobacco showered by said distributor and to form thereon a continuous tobacco stream; a rotary wheel mounted for rotation about a horizontal axis and having a circumferential groove including a lower portion into which the tobacco stream is transferred by said belt and an upper portion, said Wheel rotating in a direction to move the tobacco stream from the lower portion to the upper portion of said groove; trimming means adjacent to said groove intermediate said upper and lower portions thereof and operative upon a surface of the tobacco stream to remove a portion of tobacco therefrom; and second conveyor means arranged to receive tobacco removed by said trimming means and to deliver such tobacco to the tobacco stream on said belt at a point between said distributor and said trimming means and adjacent to said wheel, said second conveyor means comprising a second rotary wheel adjacent to said first mentioned wheel and having a circumferential tobacco receiving groove, and transfer means including an endless belt arranged to produce an air current which transfers into the groove of said second wheel tobacco removed by said trimming means.

18. An apparatus for producing a continuous tobacco rod, comprising a distributor arranged to deliver continuously at least such quantities of tobacco as are required to form the intended tobacco rod; first conveyor means including an endless belt conveyor having an elongated run arranged to receive tobacco from said distributor and to form a continuous tobacco stream; a rotary wheel arranged to rotate about a horizontal axis and having a circumferential groove into which the tobacco stream is transferred by said run in a zone of said groove which is nearer to the lowermost than to the uppermost point of said wheel, said wheel comprising a gas-permeable member forming the bottom Wall of said groove and a fixed suction chamber inwardly adjacent to said bottom wall downstream of the lowermost point of the wheel as seen in the direction in which the tobacco stream moves with said groove whereby suction operative through said bottom wall retains the tobacco stream in said groove and causes the tobacco stream to move from a lower level to a higher level; trimming means adjacent to said groove and operative upon the tobacco stream to remove tobacco therefrom and to transform the stream into a tobacco rod; and second conveyor means arranged to receive tobacco removed by said trimming means and to return such tobacco onto the run of said belt.

19. An apparatus as set forth in claim 18, further comprising stripping means located downstream of said trimming means for removing the tobacco rod from said groove, said suction chamber terminating upstream of said stripping means so that the tobacco rod is not subjected to suction at the time it is removed from said groove. 7

20. An apparatus as set forth in claim 19, wherein said stripping means comprises a compressed air duct provided inwardly of said bottom wall so that pressure operative through said bottom wall tends to expel the tobacco rod from said groove.

21. An apparatus for producing a continuous tobacco rod, comprising a tobacco distributor arranged to deliver at least such quantities of tobacco as are required to form the intended tobacco rod; first conveyor means arranged to receive tobacco from said distributor and to form a continuous tobacco stream; a first rotary wheel having a circumferential groove into which the tobacco stream is transferred by said first conveyor means; trimming means adjacent to said groove and operative to remove tobacco from the tobacco stream so as to transform the tobacco stream into a tobacco rod; and second conveyor means arranged to return tobacco removed by said trim ming device to said first conveyor means, said second conveyor means comprising a second rotary wheel having a circumferential groove adjacent to said first mentioned groove so as to receive tobacco removed by said trimming device, and means for transferring tobacco from the groove of said second wheel into the tobacco stream.

22. An apparatus as set forth in claim 21, wherein said trimming means is a rotary brush arranged to direct tobacco removed from the tobacco stream into the groove of said second wheel.

23. An apparatus as set forth in claim 18, wherein said trimming means is located downstream of said suction chamber so that the tobacco stream is not subjected to suction at the time it passes along said trimming means.

24. An apparatus for producing a continuous cigarette rod, comprising a tobacco distributor arranged to deliver such quantities of tobacco as are required to form the intended tobacco rod; an endless conveyor belt for receiving a shower of tobacco from said distributor and for forming thereon a continuous tobacco stream; a first rotary wheel for transferring the tobacco stream to a higher level, said wheel being arranged to rotate about a horizontal axis and having a circumferential groove into which the tobacco stream is transferred by said conveyor belt; trimming means positioned adjacent to said circumferential groove and operative upon a surface of to remove tobacco from the tobacco stream; and conveyor means adapted to receive tobacco removed by said trimming means for delivering such tobacco to the tobacco stream on said conveyor belt at a point between said distributor and said trimming means in the proximity of said Wheel, said conveyor means comprising a second rotary wheel having a circumferential groove adjacent to the groove of said first wheel for receiving tobacco removed by said trimming means and tobacco engaging projections arranged in said last mentioned groove for conveying tobacco in the form of a second stream toward said conveyor belt, a picker roll adjacent to the groove of said second wheel for separating tobacco from said projections so that tobacco removed from said last mentioned groove, is spread upon the tobacco stream on said belt, and means for driving said second wheel at a peripheral speed less than the peripheral speed of said first wheel.

25. An apparatus for producing a continuous tobacco rod, comprising a tobacco distributor intended and adjusted to shower such quantities of tobacco as are required to form the rod; an endless travelling belt arranged to receive tobacco showered thereon by the distributor and to form a tobacco stream; a first rotary wheel comprising an upper portion and a lower portion and having a peripheral groove arranged to receive the tobacco stream from said belt, said wheel further comprising a gas-permeable member forming the bottom wall of said groove; means for moving said belt into contact with the lower portion of said wheel so that the belt embraces said lower portion; means fonnring a fixed suction chamber in said wheel, said suction chamber extending from said lower portion toward but short of said upper portion so that suction operative through said bottom wall holds the tobacco stream in said groove; a trimming device located downstream of said suction chamber as seen in the direction in which the tobacco stream is moved by said wheel and adjacent to said groove for removing tobacco from the tobacco stream and for transforming the stream into a tobacco rod; a second rotary wheel having a circumferential groove adjacent to the groove of said first wheel to receive tobacco removed by said trimming device, said second wheel comprising a plurality of tobacco retaining prongs provided in the groove thereof; means for removing tobacco from said prongs at a point located upstream of the point at which the tobacco stream is received in the groove of said first wheel and for distributing such tobacco onto the tobacco stream; and means adjacent to the upper portion of said first wheel for removing the tobacco rod from the groove of said first wheel.

26. An apparatus as set forth in claim 25, wherein said trimming device comprises moving means arranged to press continuously against the tobacco stream, a rotary cutter adjacent to said moving means to sever tobacco from the tobacco stream, and duct means for transferring the thus severed tobacco into the groove of said second wheel.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,042,652 10/ 1912 De Cazen. 1,073,937 9/1913 Schurmann 131--23 1,647,255 11/1927 Stein 13l--109 1,721,117 7/1929 Hopkins 13166 X 1,808,795 6/1931 Stelzer 131-110 2,018,011 10/1935 Chandler 131110 2,660,178 11/1953 Rault 131-84 2,846,718 8/ 1958 Sengelaub et a1. 2,932,300 4/1960 Dearsley 1311 10 3,030,966 4/196'2 Lanore 131-84 X FOREIGN PATENTS 286,421 3/ 1928 Great Britain.

460,392 1/1937 Great Britain.

662,949 12/ 1951 Great Britain.

SAMUEL KOREN, Primary Examiner.

ABRAHAM G. STONE, JOSEPH S. REICH, Examiners. 

12. AN APPARATUS FOR PRODUCING A CONTINUOUS TOBACCO ROD, COMPRISING A TOBACCO DISTRIBUTOR ARRANGED TO DELIVER AT LEAST SUCH QUANTITIES OF TOBACCO AS ARE REQUIRED TO FORM THE INTENDED TOBACCO ROD; FIRST CONVEYOR MEANS ARRANGED TO RECEIVE TOBACCO FROM SAID DISTRIBUTOR AND TO FORM A CONTINUOUS TOBACCO STREAM; A ROTARY WHEEL HAVING A CIRCUMFERENTIAL GROOVE INTO WHICH THE TOBACCO STREAM IS TRANSFERRED BY SAID FIRST CONVEYOR MEANS; TRIMMING MEANS ADJACENT TO SAID CIRCUMFERENTIAL GROOVE AND OPERATIVE UPON THE TOBACCO STREAM TO REMOVE TOBACCO THEREFROM; AND SECOND CONVEYOR MEANS ARRANGES TO RETURN TOBACCO REMOVED BY SAID TRIMMING MEANS TO AID FIRT CONVEYOR MEANS. 